by Renee Rose
Reaching down, I discreetly adjust myself. I hope the conversation is good for her. The last thing I need is for Dahlia to be frightened of me or my urges. Looking back at Locke, I smile as he asks me about my plans and the ginger I’m so known for. I slip my hand into my pocket, palming the heavy vials containing various irritating oils. They feel comforting to me as we joke back and forth. Oh yes, I cannot wait to dress up my little morsel and devour every inch of her. Not soon enough, Locke motions for Temi, and leaves me alone with my quarry.
Judging by Dahlia’s flushed skin and heightened smell of arousal, Temi did a good job getting her prepared for me. I’ll have to tell Locke to show her my deep appreciation.
Chapter 5
I watch Temi and Locke make their way towards the coat check room. Butterflies erupt in my stomach as Damiano turns his heated gaze onto me. I know I must be blushing, but after what Temi told me, I don’t see how I couldn’t be. People actually do that type of stuff? I thought it only happened in the world of fiction. Would Damiano want to do those things to me? My skin warms as I think about all the delicious ideas Temi put into my head. But honestly, at this point, I’ll probably take anything he is willing to dish out.
My heart races as I look around the crowded bar. It’s so hard to believe that just a few nights ago, vampires were something of a dream. Now, here I am, mingling with them like it’s just another Tuesday night. Frowning, I look back up at Damiano, his sexy face covered completely with that ridiculous stone facade. Most everyone else is wearing half masks like me, but not him. My heart pangs a bit. With his mask, it’s like he’s a completely different person. Not at all the Damiano who held me tight against his thighs as he spanked the ever-loving snot out of me. My ass starts to tingle in remembrance.
Then again, he hasn’t been himself since we’ve been in the car. The fun-loving vampire seems to have switched places with a stern, unmovable taskmaster. Shivering, I lay my hand on the cold, implacable mask. If I’m being honest with myself, I’m kinda falling for both guys: the softie, and the stern vampire. A slice of pain slides into my heart and dulls into an ache as I drop my hand. He made it very clear that it’s only for tonight. I can’t afford to fall for any part of him. I’m pretty sure that if I do, it will shatter me. Is he smiling behind the mask as he pulls my hand up to his chest? Or is he as unfeeling as his mask portrays?
“Is something amiss?” he asks.
Plastering on my best fake smile, I shake my head and clutch his hand harder. If tonight is all I’m allowed, I’ll take every bit I can get. I wish I knew what he was thinking. I peer up at him, trying to get to the man behind the mask. Reaching up, I slide my fingers across the cool porcelain and gasp as his eyes turn from tranquil blue to stormy in an instant. My nipples tighten as his intense stare travels downwards. Squirming, I move to pull away, but his hand encircles mine in an iron grip.
My heart beats out of my chest. Surely he can hear it. As I watch him, his pupils dilate. Oh yeah. He can hear it. With one swift move, he slides the mask off his face and lays it gently on the bar, his eyes never leaving mine.
“Take extreme care of this,” he says to the bartender before hauling me up to his chest. “Now then, let’s talk about that drink you just ordered.”
I bat my eyelashes at him, hoping to convey complete innocence. He merely stares down at me, his eyebrow slowly rising.
“Oh, you mean this?” I bring the cocktail up to my lips and take a sip. I’m playing with fire, but if what Temi alluded to is any indication, it will be completely worth it in the end.
“Yes. That.” He stalks closer to me, pushing me up against the bar. “I told you no alcohol.”
“Yes, so you did,” I murmur, swirling the reddish liquid around in the cup. “I would tell you to taste it, but vampires can’t eat or drink, so…”
His lips slide into a knowing smirk before he grabs the glass out of my hands and downs it in one gulp. Shock freezes me for a moment. All I can do is just stare at him and hope he doesn’t die.
“But—”
“Who said vampires can’t eat or drink? How do you think I run a restaurant if I can’t taste the food I deliver?”
He has a point. Why didn’t I think of that?
“Besides,” he continues, setting the glass down on the bar, “I should commend you, cara. You fooled me completely.” He smacks his lips a few times and looks up at the ceiling. “I’m detecting hints of lemon lime soda, grenadine, cherries, and oranges?” He reaches into the glass and grabs a cherry. Eyeing me, he slides it across his tongue before letting it disappear into his mouth.
Gulping, I watch his throat as it works the cherry down. Damn, he’s hotter than he should be. I look back up at him, catching his knowing smile just before it disappears. “Wait, oranges?” I pick up the glass to smell it, but before I can even raise it up completely, Damiano grabs my wrist, stilling my movements. In the span of a breath, his lips are at my throat.
“Ahh. There it is. Oranges and sunshine.” His lips nuzzle my pulse point, nearly weakening me. How can I be strong when my every molecule wants nothing more than to curl up at his feet and let him have his way with me? Pulling me back, he stares at me for a moment before continuing. “I’m not sure what you and Temi discussed, but if you’re still open to it, I have no problem taking you downstairs and having my way with you.”
I open my mouth to answer, but he quickly places his fingers over my lips. With a giggle, I jerk my head to the side, close my lips over the tip of his finger, and suck hard.
His eyes blacken as he reaches out to grab my chin. “I am the one in charge here tonight, cara. Remember what I said.” He pauses a moment before his lips tilt up just a touch. “On second thought, please, misbehave. It will make it all the more fun when you write checks your ass will have to cash.” Sobering briefly, he pulls his finger out of my mouth with an audible pop. “The most important thing for you to remember tonight is that you do have a safeword. If something is too much or you’re scared, if there’s any reason you need me to stop, just say sunlight, and I’ll stop. No questions asked. Understand?”
I nod, the words stuck in my throat. Desire and apprehension war inside me. What exactly does he plan to do to me? Without any further preamble, he grasps my hand and leads me towards the coat check area. My pulse picks back up as I follow him. Apprehension slowly melts into excitement, and I’m almost giddy with it. Foreign sounds reach my ears and I start wiggling. Glancing over, Damiano flashes me a fanged smirk.
We ease our way into the closet and pause in front of another door towards the back. The hulking figure sitting in the corner glances up briefly, then looks away. Damiano’s fingers graze along my jaw before gripping it tight and turning my face towards him.
“Once we’re down these steps, you are mine. To ensure that everyone knows this, I’ve got a surprise for you.” Seemingly out of nowhere, he pulls out a gorgeous necklace. The base is bright silver, almost platinum, and super shiny. Embedded in the metal are hundreds of blood-red rubies. Hanging from delicate, silver chains are small rubies in the shape of blood drops. To top it off, a much larger ruby hangs from the center. For once, I’m rendered speechless. I’ve never seen something so expensive in all my life, let alone worn it.
He slides in behind me and grazes my neck with his lips. “Lift up your hair,” he whispers before planting kisses down my neck.
Shivering, I reach back to grab my hair. Before I can fully lift it up, he nips softly at my fingertips. Molten heat spreads through me from just that small contact. I fist the strands and hold them high as he slides the frigid metal around the column of my neck. His lips descend on the exposed part of the back of my neck, pausing at each vertebrae. There’s a tightly leashed hunger that wasn’t there before. His whole body almost quivers behind me.
“Let’s go,” he growls, abruptly pulling back from me.
Dropping my hair, I let him lead me down. The energy is palpable as we descend. Every hair stands on end. I’m not sure if
it’s from excitement or the build-up of energy. It’s almost overwhelming. Musical beats intermingle with moans, screams, and quiet conversation. Such a sensual cacophony never even existed in my imagination before. Pausing at the bottom of the stairs, I take everything in as best I can, but I don’t even know where to look first. Lust and confusion war within me.
“Why is no one dancing?” I say.
He looks down at me, his brows pulled together. “What do you mean?”
I mimic the fan dance from earlier, and I’m rewarded with a surprised laugh.
“Ahh, bellissima, but you see, there are some dancing.” He motions to a few areas where people are writhing around. “Just not in the traditional sense.”
Excitement once again thrums through me. Maybe I’ll be dancing soon too? The problem is, as excited as I am, there’s just way too much for me to take in, so I can’t seem to focus on any one thing. The place is just as I imagined an underground vampire lair would look like. Plush fabrics in dark red line the whole space, sweeping up at the corners to meet at an impressive chandelier. I stand there for a moment, awestruck. The gemstones on the dress scrape against my arms as I twirl around, taking in the space. Sparks of sensation shoot up my limbs and fire like sparklers in my brain. Everything feels just like a fairytale. Giggling, I look down at my slippers and click my heels together a few times.
Damiano smirks as he watches my feet. “You want to go home already?”
Shaking my head, I grip his arm and smile wide. “More like, there’s no place like Club Toxic. Maybe if I can convince you to let me keep the shoes, I can just click my heels and come back here any time I need a vampy fix.”
He narrows his eyes and pulls me flush up against his body. He’s all hard angles and firm planes. I want to burrow my head into his chest and hug him close, but the darkness in his eyes keeps me at bay.
“If you’re here in this club, you’d better be with me.” His growl permeates my body, setting my nerves on fire, but it’s not enough. It’s never enough.
Rising up as high as I can, I stare him down, trying to be intimidating. “This is a one and done, remember? I can play with whomever I want. And there’s nothing you can do about it.”
I step back a pace, wanting to see his reaction. I’m not at all disappointed. His eyes narrow into slits as he closes the gap between us like it’s nothing. My heart flutters at the heat coming from his eyes. Slowly, his hands slide up my neck, cupping it before lightly squeezing. My pulse thumps harder between his fingers, like an echo coming back onto itself. Closing my eyes, I surrender to the feeling of strength flowing through him. Is he mesmerizing me somehow? I should be terrified, but this is the safest I’ve ever felt.
Sighing, I lean into his touch, silently begging him to grip harder. It’s not enough. Not nearly enough. I’m on the edge of floating, just a touch hazy. I want to fly, and somehow, he can make me. I just know it.
“Besides what you and Temi talked about, what is your experience with kink?” His voice wraps around me like warm chocolate, and it takes a moment for his words to sink in.
“You mean, like spanking and stuff?”
Damiano smiles, slow and predatory, before bending down and nipping my ear lightly. “More like the and stuff. Anyone can spank.”
Flames lick at my cheeks as I consider his words. Would he still want me if he knew the truth? Looking back up at him, I chew my bottom lip thoughtfully. The problem is, lying could also put me in danger. I’ve read enough to know at least that much.
“I’ve read about it before.” Shrugging, I motion around the club. “But it’s not like I have a life conducive to finding someone like that. Based on what I’ve seen from you, I’ve got to assume you’re at least a little into it.”
His smile widens even further and I watch, transfixed, as his fangs lengthen. Will I ever get tired of that? My crotch loudly proclaims: no. I tongue my own fangs, wondering briefly if that has the same effect on him. Looking down, I see that his pants are indeed tented… massively… but that could be because his hands are still wrapped around my throat.
“You master the art of understatement, my dear. I am into things you can barely even imagine, but tonight, I’ll take it easy on you.”
Disappointment flows through me for a moment. “Why? Think I can’t handle it? I’m pretty sure I can take anything you give me.”
“Is that a fact?”
He removes his hands, and my throat already cries out for more of his touch. It’s not fair. He’s brought me this far, why hold back? Before I can answer, he whirls me around to let me stare at the scenes going on in the dungeon. As I take a deep breath, my brain tries to make sense of everything I’m seeing, but I have absolutely no framework for it.
Shrieks, giggles, moans, all converge into one sound, a pulsing of sexual frenzy that slides into my veins and crawls through my bloodstream. My eyes are pulled to a scene in the center of the room, where the man who spoke with Damiano earlier is standing over a woman. Ropes flash in the light as he binds her. Every move of the rope over her body makes my core clench. Would the ropes feel like his hands around me? Warm and safe?
Chapter 6
Dio mio. I’m playing with fire and I know it. She’s so green, yet so attentive and curious. How much should I sate that curiosity? If I’m being honest with myself, I’m pleased that I’m her first in this. But with that comes the massive responsibility of making sure this first time is flawless for her. Her eyes settle on Bentley and his beautiful ropework. Just watching his artistry has her arousal flaring.
Anger and lust war within me. She’s mine, I should be the one getting those reactions. The beast stirs within me and prowls, demanding I take down my prey and show her who’s boss. Things were okay when we were at the apartment. The nice side was able to come out for a bit. The human side. But ever since she agreed to obey me for tonight, my hungry side woke up and hasn’t slept since. I know I need to get a hold of myself before I harm her. She’s not ready for me. Probably never will be, as a human. She’s so fragile and doesn’t even realize it. Holding her throat in my hands nearly undid me. Dear Santa Maria, I wanted to squeeze until she became limp in my arms. But one must be careful with humans, for they are easily broken.
Pain lances through me as she looks back up at me; Alessandra’s eyes beaming through her excitement. They are all so easily broken. Running a hand over my face, I try to rein in my emotions, at least for Dahlia’s sake. There’s so much here that she should experience, and I want to be the one to give her that.
Glancing over, I watch Adrian approach us, his trusty duffle in hand. His black kimono has swirls of red, almost in the shape of clouds, weaving throughout it. It’s completely fitting for him. He’s made no secret of his love for Japan. However, what ties everything together is his dragon mask. Golds, reds, and blues surround his face and flow off behind him. Simple, black pants complete the ensemble, giving him an air of mystery. It’s rather impressive.
“Couldn’t find a Venetian costume, could you?” I tease, tugging at his billowing sleeve.
He smirks and holds his arms in the air for us to inspect him. “It’s a costume party. See, I have a mask.”
“You forgot, didn’t you?”
Adrian’s eyes dart back and forth for a moment before he bows slightly. “I will admit I didn’t get my original costume together in time. I had business affairs to attend to in Japan. One of my bake-onna,” he pauses for a moment, looking for the right words, “blood courtesan, if you will, gave it to me. But no one seems to notice except you, so no harm, no foul.”
“So you wear a robe?”
His eyes narrow to slits. “It’s a male kimono. I at least have the decency to wear something fit for a warrior. You’re dressed like a teen heartthrob taking his girl to a romcom prom.”
“Is it the gel? It’s the gel. Damnit, I knew I put too much in.”
Smirking, he shifts the duffle over to his other shoulder. “Nah, it’s the Axe body spray. I smelled it f
rom outside the club.”
Dahlia’s eyes keep flicking back and forth between us, her pupils like saucers. A small giggle passes her lips before she covers them with her hands. Glowering at Adrian, I lay a hand over my heart. “Now, you wound me sir. Shall it be pistols at dawn?”
A slight quirk of his lips is the only show of emotion in his passive face. “I believe the sun will beat you to it. Now then, I came over because it seems like your human…” Dahlia flashes him a large smile, showing off her fangs. He stumbles a bit over his words, but he’s quick to recover, coughing quietly to muffle any possible sounds of laughter, “…seems to be fascinated by the rope play,” he finishes. “She hasn’t taken her eyes off Bentley. I daresay, I would feel a bit jealous if it were me. Nonetheless, it would be an honor to truss her up for you.”
Lust flares through me, warring with whatever has my possessive beast heckled. She obviously wants this, and I’m not in the best position to give it to her. I know my way around knots, but nothing like Adrian. And honestly, the fact that he’s offering is such a rare thing. It would be stupid of me to not allow her this. Besides, if I can’t share her now, how am I going to let go of her after tonight?
You can keep her, a small voice whispers through my mind. Shaking my head, I dispel it. Nope. Not happening. It’s best I get her out of my system now than regret it later. How better than to share her with Adrian? I trust him with my life, and goodness knows the man has had even less action than I have. Pulling him off to one side, I keep an eye on Dahlia. She’s so entranced by everything she’s seeing that she doesn’t even notice me leaving her.
